Tuesday, April 10, 2007

The first competitive professional rugby league derby in Hull for a decade, the first Hull FC vs Hull KR Super League derby ever, rugby league's only true derby. And where was I? I was there! Me and 23,001 other people - as much a capacity as health and safety rules would allow. And, ooh, the atmosphere was great. Just as you'd expect with the Sky Sports cameras capturing every moment, it was a game riddled with errors and both sides lacked the ability to play basic rugby, Hull KR did a good job of getting back in the game in the second half and threatened to steal the game but slippery-handed, penalty-conceding FC won in the end, although Sid Domic's try and the subsequent conversion made the final scoreline - 22-14 - look a shade too flattering. So is this the start of Hull FC's season? It's certainly eased the pressure on the Airlie Birds and coach Peter Sharp and FC look a much improved outfit with Paul Cooke and his fully-working hamstring back in the team. But, city bragging rights in hand for the time being, we shall have to wait and see.Aside from being a game played for vital league points, a matter of life and death for the fans and an excuse to go to the pub early in the morning, the two sides were also battling it out for the Clive Sullivan Memorial Trophy - a trophy fought over in tepid friendly contests in recent years - and our pal Ros Sullivan presented the silverware at the end of the game. Before the game started Martin, the KC announcer charged with whipping fans into a frenzy by using the peculiar technique of reminding them what stand they are sitting in, told the assembled throng that the whole world is watching. Which was an exciting thought for the millisecond it took to realise that what he was saying wasn't based on anything resembling fact. Apart from that, though, the day pretty much lived up to all the hype surrounding it and we can consider the derby game well and truly resurrected.